The British Association of Social Workers is being sued over inaccurate statements and misrepresentations about the Satanic Child Abuse Myth. The litigation has arisen over allegations made during a meeting of BASW's 60 strong council which was convened to study a special report produced by the S.A.F.F., an organisation which looks after the rights of U.K. Witches. The report, titled "The Satanic Abuse Myth", was the result of three years research into cases of alleged Satanic Abuse but contained criticisms that BASW had breached its own code of practice. In a startling response, Ms Joy Rees, BASW membership secretary, claimed that the group which had authored the report were 'racists and fascists who have nothing in common with members of BASW'. Ms Rees amazing outburst and opposition to the report ensured that it was not adopted. Rees was later reported in Social Work Today as saying that 'she did not want to see BASW used as a vehicle for a group which failed to respect people's rights.'Angel a Malham, spokesperson for the S.A.F.F. accused Ms Rees of "the worst kind of hypocrisy". "We're neither racists nor fascists" she said, "but Ms Rees remarks seem to indicate that she feels justified in disenfranchising such people because they hold unpopular or different beliefs to those she ascribes to. BASW should tell the public whether it is their policy to urge their 11,000 strong membership to discriminate against clients who hold such views? ". The S.A.F.F. maintain that BASW have not apologised for the prejudicial nature of the remark nor have they clarified its meaning. "Social Workers have admitted publicly that they don't know what they are dealing with when allegations of Satanic Abuse occur." continued Ms Malham. They have many times appealed for information and background. When sensational cases fail and their mistakes are criticised they excuse themselves by pointing out that this is a new area for them and they are lacking in expertise. They suggest t hat more research needs to be done. Yet the moment a knowledgeable group provides them with accurate and trustworthy information , radicals representing social workers spurn the facts and defame us because it doesn't fit their prejudices". Said Ms Malham. When asked if she was not simply jumping on the current social-worker bashing bandwagon Ms Malahm said that the S.A.F.F.'s criticisms were not of grass-roots social workers. "Such people do extremely difficult and often unpleasant job in bone-crunching circumstances which high-flying social-work theories don't apply. If you ask most grass roots social workers you will find them as fed up with hair-brained doctrines as the public are. "Our complaint is that the well intentioned reasonable people who actually do the work in Social Services Departments are being continually manipulated by radicals who have gained influential positions and who censor the truth to fit their own prejudices. The Rank and File are being fed with disinformation and simply don't know what's going on. Their leaders won't let them know. What other reason was there for censoring our report? " "We have over 600 members in the S.A.F.F. from all walks of life. They are tolerant, liberal individuals with an intense understanding of the problems minorities suffer. The fact that they give of their time completely voluntarily to fight for the rights of oppressed minorities is testimony to the fact that they have altruistic ideals."Ms Malham added 'it is particularly nauseating for me to have to listen to these unprincipled remarks by by Joy Rees as my family is Jewish and my grandparents and immediate family were wiped out by the Nazis during WWII and I am sensitively aware of the rising tide of Neo-Nazisim in Europe. ". She said. "Is it any wonder that innocent people were victimised during the Satanic Abuse Myth when people with influence in social work make enemies of those whose only intention is to help?" BASW have been involved with social work ers in a number of Satanic Abuse Cases. It was BASW who funded the legal costs of Paul Lee the Director of Social Services in the Orkney Inquiry and the organisation has played a major part in the acceptance by the social work industry of the idea of Satanic Abuse. Before the S.A.F.F. could ask for an official apology for Ms Rees remarks they were published and distributed to BASW members in a newsletter. "These occurrences ensured that our organisation was misrepresented to BASW members " Said Ms Malham. "I think the public should know how unreceptive social work leadership is to outside input despite their hollow requests for help. The outcome is that BASW has effectively black-balled our unique information on the Satanic Abuse Myth and kept their members in the dark. BASW's social worker members will therefore remain ignorant of the true position, whilst quite possibly causing further Rochdales to occur. Is this what BASW want? "The S.A.F.F. point to BASW's refusal to admit their erro r and say that their rush to dig their heels in and refusal to apologise provides a clear example of how Social Workers end up in conflict with so many parents. Ms Malham added: "Leading lights of Social Work continually bleat about media victimisation of their industry as though they are unfortunate victims of situations which couldn't be helped. Our experience confirms that radical social workers are not victims but perpetrators and have a battery of devices originally intended to assist grass-roots carers to protect children and others from harm , which the radicals do not think twice about using in order to subdue opposition and remain in control of the situation even when they are wrong." When asked if she wasn't perhaps over-reacting to the situation Ms Malham said: "We went to the leaders of social work with an honest intent. We have been victimised and stigmatised because our report criticised some of their decisions. Our organisation can take this in its stride, but I keep thinking w hat would have happened had I been a suspect in a child abuse case and stood up for my rights in the same way?" "One only has to reflect upon the chain of events in previous tragedies to see the same criteria apply and cause innocent families to be victimised. The public need to know that there is no failsafe device within social work to protect them from radical social workers. The Government refuses to act for fear of the political damage which might ensue, yet until this matter is attended to activist social workers will continue causing terrible mistakes and tragedies for innocent families and dragging the reputation of social work through the mud. More and more it appears that accusations of Satanism are just one of a stock of justifications which are used by radical social workers to disguise iniquities in the social work system from public gaze. This litigation must continue in order to reveal this misuse of power." The Satanic Ritual Abuse Myth report can be obtained price 1.99 inclu ding postage, from The Publications Department, S.A.F.F.